Multi Country
LOCAL CHARMS OF MYANMAR AND THAILAND
This extensive program highlights the best of Myanmar and Thailand on an 18-day journey that includes 3 nights on the wonderful Sanctuary cruise with private shore excursions, plus an extended stay in Phuket, Thailand. Experience local culture, history and tradition in Myanmar from Yangon to Inle Lake and Bagan to Mandalay. Then immerse yourself in culture and nature in Chiang Mai and meet the elephants before continuing with a luxurious 5-night stay in a private villa in Phuket.
Yangon – Inle Lake
– Bagan – Mandalay
– Chiang Mai – Phuket
18 days, 17 nights
Please note: This itinerary has been designed to incorporate
the Sanctuary cruise schedule which sails on fixed days.
ARRIVE IN A COLONIAL CITY
Friday or Tuesday.
Arrive in glorious Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. The former capital of British Burma, the city retains its importance as a commercial center and presents an eclectic mix of colonial-era architecture, gilded Buddhist pagodas and a modern skyline of high-rise buildings. After passing through immigration, luggage collection and customs, you are greeted at the airport by your local guide. Then check in to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to get acquainted with your new surroundings or simply relax in preparation for your upcoming adventure. To relieve any tension you may have from the long international journey, you are treated to a traditional massage or foot massage in the evening.
Overnight at Belmond's Governor's Residence, Yangon
Meals: Dinner
EXCLUSIVE INSIDER EXPERIENCE AND CULTURAL DISCOVERY
Saturday or Wednesday.
Spend an insightful morning at Shwedagon Pagoda, a revered religious site. Get an exclusive ‘Insider’ experience that offers more than just seeing the pagoda. This authentic moment puts you in touch with local culture and teaches you about Myanmar people, their beliefs and customs. You may also make a donation to the monks or meet a fortune teller if you wish. Then set off to discover the rest of the city with its rich blend of heritage, culture and charm. Discover colonial buildings, leafy side streets and bustling markets. Stop for a drink at the elegant Strand Hotel before admiring the views at Yangon River. In the evening, dine on the banks of Inya Lake with a tasting dinner at Seeds, Yangon’s premier restaurant.
Overnight at Belmond's Governor's Residence, Yangon
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
JOURNEY TO INLE LAKE
Sunday or Thursday.
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, you have the unique opportunity to meet with a local artist or musician for a private, one-on-one chat. This is your chance to learn a bit about the city’s burgeoning art scene over coffee. The rest of the morning is free at leisure where you can relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities. In the early afternoon, depart from Yangon and transfer to the airport for a flight into the Shan Hills, one of the most scenic regions of Myanmar. After landing at Heho airport, meet your local Shan guide and embark on a leisurely drive to Nyaung Shwe, a principal town and gateway to Inle Lake. From there, hop on board a private boat for a journey across the lake to your hotel for check in.
Overnight at Sanctum Inle, Inle Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXPLORING MYANMAR’S NATURAL TREASURE
Monday or Friday.
Start early with a hot air balloon flight to witness spectacular views over the lake, plus an exclusive chance to observe the crew’s pre-departure preparations up close. An indulgent champagne breakfast is served upon landing. Framed by floating gardens and stilted villages, Inle Lake is one of Myanmar’s greatest natural treasures, delivering plenty of picturesque moments and a supreme sense of calm and tranquility. Explore the floating villages on a private motorboat, stopping at a workshop to see how locals use lotus flower fibers to create hand-woven silks. Then visit a local home for a chat with the hosts over tea followed by a cruise through scenic canals in a wooden canoe, sipping a cocktail or beer along the way.
Please note: Hot air balloon flight is included on shared basis with up to 8 passengers per flight. Additional fees may apply for Christmas/New Year period.
Overnight at Sanctum Inle, Inle Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DISCOVERING AN HISTORICAL LANDSCAPE
Tuesday or Saturday.
Enjoy the morning at leisure to absorb the fresh air and beautiful scenery of the Shan State. Take time to explore the area at your own pace. Indulge in a spa treatment or return to the lake for more amazing photo opportunities. Alternatively, you may choose an optional trek to a meditation center to practice the art of mindfulness with a local monk. After lunch, transfer to Heho airport in time for your domestic flight to Bagan. An ancient city in central Myanmar, Bagan is famous for its magnificent archeological area which contains over 2,000 Buddhist monuments and historical landmarks. Upon arrival at the airport, transfer to your hotel for check in. Then enjoy a relaxing evening including dinner at the hotel.
Please note: Morning trek and meditation practice with a local monk requires a surcharge of USD 100 per person.
Overnight in Bagan Lodge, Bagan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WELCOME TO SANCTUARY AND BAGAN DISCOVERY
Wednesday or Sunday.
Get your first glimpse of Bagan with a horse cart ride through the temple plain. Enjoy light refreshments in a scenic spot before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Check out, then visit Ananda Pagoda, home to four impressive standing Buddha images. At midday, board the luxurious Sanctuary cruise and enjoy lunch on board. Continue exploring the city by electric bike or car to discover some hidden gems, away from the path of the tour-bus crowd. Along the way, you pass small villages where farmers continue to live in much the same way as their ancestors, growing chili and garlic in the dry, arid soil. Stop at a local home to see the family making lacquer ware and observe a larger lacquer ware workshop if you wish.
Overnight on Sanctuary Ananda Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
BLESSING AND SAILING
Thursday or Monday.
Begin the day with a drive to Na Jo Ai, a small village on the outskirts of Bagan. Make your way through the town, passing sandy streets to visit the main monastery and take part in a traditional ceremony. It is common practice in Myanmar for locals to donate a meal to the resident monks as a way of making merit. After performing the ritual, you receive a blessing from the head monk for a safe onward journey. Using your guide as an interpreter, you may chat with the monk to learn more about Buddhism and the monastic life. Then return to the ship and set sail along the Irrawaddy River towards Sagaing, an important religious center in Myanmar, which is home to many Buddhist monasteries and religious places of interest.
Overnight on Sanctuary Ananda Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MYANMAR’S RELIGIOUS CENTER
Friday or Tuesday.
Enjoy a leisurely morning on board the Sanctuary cruise. You may wish to take part in a cooking class as the ship continues to sail northwards, passing wonderful scenes of riverside life along the way. Arriving at Sagaing around lunchtime, head out with your private guide to visit Sagaing hill where you are rewarded with spectacular views of the Irrawaddy and the hundreds of gold and white religious buildings that cover the hills. While exploring, you may encounter monks in saffron robes walking through the streets. Stop to visit a nunnery, if time permits. In the evening, cross to Amarapura to witness magnificent sunset vistas at U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge. Return to the ship after sunset.
Overnight on Sanctuary Ananda Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
HIGHLIGHTS OF MANDALAY
Saturday or Wednesday.
Welcome to Mandalay, the cultural heart of modern-day Myanmar. Disembark after breakfast. Then explore a busy morning market where locals shop for thanakha, fresh fruits, dried fish and more. Then ride a pedal-powered trishaw through a residential neighborhood. Stop to visit Shwe Nandaw Kyaung, the last remaining building of Mandalay’s royal palace. Visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, where an entire canon of Buddhist texts is inscribed on 729 marble slabs. Continue to a workshop to see how they make thin sheets of gold leaf for religious purposes and join locals to make offerings at a pagoda. In the evening, dine at the city’s best restaurant or visit a variety of food stalls and local restaurants on a local ‘food crawl’.
Overnight Mandalay Hill Resort, Mandalay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WELCOME TO CHIANG MAI
Sunday or Thursday.
Enjoy the morning at leisure. Your options include a visit to the top of Mandalay Hill, a half-day cooking class or a bike ride to explore the nearby countryside. Then check out of your hotel and have lunch before transferring to Mandalay’s International Airport for your flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand. After a 1.5 hour flight, you land in the cultural heart of northern Thailand and capital of the ancient Lanna Thai kingdom. Chiang Mai is a charming city framed by the remains of ancient city walls and the Ping River to the east. Your local guide greets you at the airport and transfers you to Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai where you are immersed in lush countryside, surrounded by rice fields and verdant landscapes.
Overnight at Four Seasons Resort, Chiang Mai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
FROM PICNIC BREAKFAST TO EXCLUSIVE KANTOKE DINNER
Monday or Friday.
Rise early to experience the local almsgiving tradition, where essential items are offered to monks in exchange for a blessing. Then drive to Doi Suthep mountain, where a glittering temple overlooks views of the city and countryside. See the temple in the early morning, before the regular tourist crowds and enjoy a gourmet picnic breakfast in a scenic location. After breakfast, visit a morning market to sample some local street food. Continue with a trishaw ride around the old town. Later, explore the historical town of Wiang Kum Kam by horse-drawn carriage. Cocktails and an exclusive Kantoke style dinner are served among the ruins, accompanied by a Lanna music performance and a private Baci blessing ceremony.
Overnight at Four Seasons Resort, Chiang Mai
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A MORNING WITH ELEPHANTS AND LOCAL ARCHITECTURE
Tuesday or Saturday.
Prepare for an unforgettable day getting to know the elephants at Elephant Life Experience (E.L.E), an immersive elephant camp which allows you to build a close relationship with a friendly giant and observe its natural behaviors first-hand. The private 5-hour experience includes feeding and bathing the elephant, learning basic commands and riding on its back for 30 minutes. You can also paint with your new friend and see how the skilled pachyderm creates artistic masterpieces with its trunk. After a picnic lunch, bid farewell to the elephants and begin the transfer back to your hotel, stopping en route at Wat Padarapirom, a quiet, off-the-beaten-track temple that demonstrates the true beauty of Lanna architecture.
Overnight at Four Seasons Resort, Chiang Mai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
A SERENE ISLAND ESCAPE
Wednesday or Sunday.
Enjoy a leisurely morning with free time to do as you wish. Enjoy the hotel’s facilities, where you may join a cooking class to learn how to prepare delicious Thai cuisine or indulge in a spa treatment if you wish. Then check out and transfer to the airport for your domestic flight bound for Phuket. Located in the beautiful Andaman Sea, Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and a popular destination for exotic beach escapes. Upon arrival, transfer directly to Iniala Phuket where you can enjoy the next 3 days soaking in the sun, sand and sea vibes. Relax in complete comfort in your private villa which comes complete with a dedicated team who are on hand to ensure you have everything you need for a simply perfect stay.
Overnight at Iniala, Phuket
Meals: Breakfast
PRIVATE YACHT AND BEACH BARBECUE
Thursday-Sunday or Monday-Thursday.
Spend the next four days at leisure basking in the peace and tranquility of your private villa resort. Immerse yourself in the laidback atmosphere amid calm and inviting ocean views, just a few steps from the soft sandy beach where you have no choice but to succumb to the overwhelming sense of joy. Set sail on a private yacht for a 1-day excursion to explore remote islands of the Andaman Sea. Sail through amazing seascapes to reach a secluded beach where you are treated to an exclusive barbecue lunch. Then head back to the resort and continue lounging by the pool or relaxing at the spa. Try wakeboarding or paddle boarding if you wish, or cycle around the serene countryside to see local temples, villages and vegetation.
Overnight at Iniala, Phuket
Meals: Breakfast
MEMORIES OF THE ANDAMAN SEA
Monday or Friday.
Make the most of your final moments in this exclusive slice of heaven. Spend your last moments at leisure, making the most of your private villa in this tropical island resort overlooking the Andaman Sea. If time permits, you may choose to spend the morning relaxing in your room, making full use of the hotel’s facilities. Alternatively, you may choose to take one last dip in the warm ocean waters, stroll along the beach to feel the soft white sand beneath your feet or simply lounge by the pool. At the appointed time, check out of your villa and meet your guide and driver who assist you with the transfer to Phuket International Airport where you board your departure flight or connect to your next destination.
Meals: Breakfast